WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's basketball team returns home on Saturday, as the Cardinals host Gustavus in a 1 p.m. Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game at the Saint Mary's Gym.
 
The Matchup:
• Saint Mary's Cardinals (2-1 MIAC, 6-2 Overall) vs. Gustavus Gusties (3-0 MIAC, 8-0 Overall)
 
GameDay Live On The Web:
• Live Stats * Live Video | GameDay Program
 
Last Action:
• Saint Mary's—December 7, 2016 * Winona, Minn.: Brandi Blattner (Eyota, Minn.) scored a career-high 28 points, but it was not enough, as the Cardinals suffered their first conference loss of the season, falling to Bethel 69-56 at the Saint Mary's Gym | Recap
• Gustavus—December 7, 2016 * St. Peter, Minn.: Gustavus pushed its unbeaten streak to eight straight, getting a game-high 25 points from Mikayla Miller en route to a 79-61 win over St. Olaf at Gus Young Court | Recap
 
Saint Mary's vs. Gustavus—A Year Ago:
• December 2, 2015 * Winona, Minn.: For the second straight game, Micaela Meredith (Bloomington, Minn.) put together a career night, as the senior poured in a game-high 23 points in leading Saint Mary's to an 82-74 victory over the Gusties in the teams' Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opener at the Saint Mary's Gym | Recap
• February 25, 2016 * Winona, Minn.: Bridget Pethke (New London, Wis.) poured in a game-high 21 points and Micaela Meredith (Bloomington, Minn.) added 20—with the two accounting for eight of the team's nine 3-pointers—as the Cardinals downed the Gusties 78-70 in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Playoff semifinals at the Saint Mary's Gym | Recap
 
Up Next:
• Saint Mary's: The Cardinals are right back on their home court on Sunday, entertaining UW-Eau Claire in a 3 p.m. nonconference matchup at the Saint Mary's Gym.
• Gustavus: The Gusties step out of conference play on Tuesday, traveling to Menomonie, Wis., for a 7 p.m. nonconference game against UW-Stout.
 
Scouting The Saint Mary's Cardinals:
2016-17 Roster | 2016-17 Statistics | 2016-17 Schedule
• Saturday's game against Gustavus is the third of seven straight home games for the Cardinals, who own a 48-6 record on their home court over the past five seasons. … Wednesday's 69-56 loss to Bethel snapped the Cardinals' season-high five-game winning streak. … Last Wednesday's win over Carleton was Saint Mary's first overtime game of the season—and first since a 79-73 win over Concordia on Feb. 7, 2015. … Saint Mary's has now won its last four overtime games. The last Cardinal loss in OT was against Concordia on Jan. 29, 2012, falling 60-59. … The Cardinals' have had a player post a career-high scoring mark in each of their last two games—Alexa Huisman (Adrian, Minn.) scored a career-high 20 points against Concordia last Saturday, while Brandi Blattner (Eyota, Minn.) netted a career-best 28 points in Saint Mary's loss to Bethel on Wednesday. … Huisman accounted for 13 of the team's 17 fourth-quarter points in the Cardinals' win over Concordia last Saturday, while Blattner scored 15 of the team's 16 third-quarter points against Bethel on Wednesday. … Blattner has now scored 20 or more points three times this season, having also netted 23 points in the Cardinals' overtime win over Carleton on Nov. 30. … Sam Jones (White Bear Lake, Minn. / 21) and Huisman (20) have also eclipsed the 20-point barrier this season. … Jones' 21-point effort against the University of Dubuque on Nov. 15 was a career high. … Blattner has scored 10 or more points in seven of the team's eight games. … Blattner and Kaitlin Keefe (Chatfield, Minn.) each recorded double-doubles against Carleton on Nov. 30—Blattner scored 23 points and added 17 rebounds, while Keefe chipped in 10 points and 11 boards. It was Blattner's third double-double of the season—and 12^th of her collegiate career—while Keefe's was her first in a Cardinal uniform. … Blattner's 17 rebounds against Carleton were two shy of her school-record 19-rebound effort against UW-Eau Claire on Dec. 29, 2015. … The Cardinals have had four different players lead them in scoring through eight games—Blattner (3 times), Schaefer (twice), Jones, and Huisman. … Schaefer dished out a career-high 12 assists against Concordia last Saturday—it was the highest single-game effort since Jamie Rattunde dished out 12 against Coe on Nov. 26, 2003. … 
 
Blattner heads into the Cardinals' conference showdown with Gustavus on Saturday averaging a team-best 15.1 ppg. Jones (12.3 ppg) and Schaefer (10.3 ppg) are also averaging in double figures through seven games. … Blattner owns a team-leading 75 rebounds (9.4 rpg). … Jones equaled her career high with eight rebounds against Concordia last Saturday—the senior also hauled in eight boards against St. Scholastica on Nov. 26. … The Cardinals, who made 163 3-pointers last season, have drained 40 treys in eight games this season—including a 10-for-24 showing against the University of Dubuque on Nov. 15. … Huisman knocked down four treys against Concordia last Saturday and leads the team with 12 3-pointers. … The Cardinals had 10 players score two or more points in their 66-40 win over Viterbo on Nov. 22. … The Cardinals boasted five players who scored in double figures in their season-opening win over the University of Dubuque on Nov. 15. Saint Mary's also had five players score in double figures once a year ago. … Saint Mary's is averaging 63.6 ppg—including a season-high 76-point effort in its season-opening 76-64 win over the University of Dubuque. … The Cardinals, who have scored 65 or more points in four of their six wins this season, have outscored their first eight opponents 139-106 in the second quarter, 136-112 in the third, and 130-123 in the fourth. The Cardinals have been outscored 122-99 in the game's opening 10 minutes. … With their 76-64 win over the University of Dubuque on Nov. 15, the Cardinals have now won their season-opener in each of the last four seasons—dating back to a 63-58 loss to Elmhurst to kick off the 2011-12 season. … Saint Mary's—picked to finish third in the MIAC Preseason Coaches' Poll—made its fifth straight MIAC Playoff appearance last season—and the Cardinals have reached at least the semifinals each time. … With their 21-6 overall record last season, the Cardinals have now reached the 20-win plateau in three of the last four seasons.
 
Scouting The Gustavus Gusties:
2016-17 Roster | 2016-17 Statistics | 2016-17 Schedule
• Saturday's game against Saint Mary's kicks off a four-game road swing for the Gusties, who do not play at home again until Jan. 7 against Saint Benedict. … Gustavus heads into Saturday's showdown at Saint Mary's riding a season-opening eight-game winning streak. … All eight of the Gusties' wins this season have been by double figures—including six wins by 20 or more points. … Mikayla Miller scored a game-high 25 points in the Gusties' win over St. Olaf Wednesday to become the 11^th player in Gustie program history to surpass the 1,000 career point mark. The junior shot 7 of 16 from the field—including five 3-pointers—and was perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line. … Four the Gusties' five starters scored in double figures against the Oles Wednesday. Along with Miller's game-high 25 points, GAC also got 14 points from Hannah Howard, 13 from Justine Lee, and 12 from Miranda Rice. … Miller has now scored 10 or more points in seven of the team's eight games—including a season- and career-high 34-point showing against UW-La Crosse on Nov. 22. … Gustavus enters Saturday's game at Saint Mary's boasting two players—Miller (18.3 ppg) and Rice (16.5 ppg) averaging in double figures. … Rice also leads the team in rebounds with 49 (6.1 rpg), while Howard (36, 4.5 rpg)), Emee Udo (32, 4.0 rpg), and Miller (31, 3.9) have also hauled in more than 30 boards this season. … As a team, the Gusties are shooting 48 percent from the field (235-for-492) and have knocked down 53 3-pointers. … Miller has accounted for 19 of the team's 59 3-pointers, with Taylor Anderson second with nine. … Miller is the team's assist leader with 45 and also owns a team-best 35 steals. … The Gusties are averaging 78.2 ppg, while holding their first eight opponents to just a 51.1 ppg scoring average. … The Gusties have outscored their first eight opponents 163-92 in the game's opening 10 minutes. GAC also holds a 147-95 edge in the second quarter and a 145-97 advantage in the fourth.